ABSTRACT
Begonias are mostly herbaceous, or rarely shrubby, perennial plants, usually somewhat succulent with swollen nodes. They are usually classified according to their root systems as rhizomatous, tuberous, or fibrous rooted. All begonias are monoecious, usually bearing male and female flowers in the same inflorescence. The structure of the inflorescence is a dichasial or monochasial cyme, often irregular, with a mixture of mono- and dichasial branchings. Flower development proceeds fastest at temperatures of about 25°C or even higher. However, such high temperatures cause undesired elongation of stems and peduncles. The number of flowering nodes increases with the number of inductive cycles. The tuber grows during short-day (SD) until the stem or leaves are shed. Flower initiation in tuberous begonias takes place in both SD and long-day, but indirectly, flowering is dependent on photoperiod through control of vegetative growth.
